Vestibular Therapy

React Physical Therapy’s vestibular rehabilitation program offers a comprehensive approach to evaluating and treating patients with complaints of dizziness, vertigo, motion sensitivity, instability, and a history of falling. Symptoms due to vestibular disorders or age related loss of balance can diminish quality of life and can make simple daily tasks very difficult and unsafe to perform. This often lead individuals to live a sedentary lifestyle or have to modify basic tasks such as getting into and out of bed. Living a less active lifestyle may also lead to future problems such as loss in muscle strength and stamina creating a vicious cycle of reduced activity and poor quality of life. Our goal of therapy is reverse this cycle by discovering the exact source of your dysfunction and creating a customized rehabilitation program focused on reducing your symptoms, improving your stability, and getting you to move again with confidence.

What is Vestibular Rehabilitation?

Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) is a specialized form of physical therapy that uses specific exercises to improve the efficiency of your vestibular and central nervous system. Abnormal functioning in parts your brain such as your cerebellum, inner ear, or visual cortex may lead to dizziness or instability. Our exercises work by either enhancing existing neural mechanisms in the brain or teaching you to learn how to use new parts of your nervous system to complete a task due to a concept called neuroplasticity. Theoretical concepts often used in therapy are adaptation, substitution, compensation, habituation. Which particular strategy used is individually dependent and will be determined by your therapist and how you are progressing in your therapy. Exercises may involve balance training focusing on basic day to day tasks that predispose someone to fall like transitioning from sitting to standing to complex balance training such as walking on uneven surfaces with your eyes closed. Exercises also often involve head movements and visual retraining which are essential in stimulating and retraining the vestibular system and your eyes ability to focus on a specific target. This training will allow for improved postural strategies and awareness of where you are in space so you can move around in all different environments without feeling dizzy or feeling fearful or falling.

Vestibular Therapy Services:

Canalith repositioning/Epley maneuver

Balance training

Gait training

Fall prevention

Habituation techniques

Adaptation exercises

Compensatory strategies

Gaze stabilization exercises

Manual treatment of the cervical Spine

Patient and family education

Things to Know

Our vestibular therapist are located at our Lakeshore East clinic in Chicago.

We work closely with some of the top neurologist in Chicago making sure you get a comprehensive care you deserve

Therapy sessions are one on one and exercises are based on each individual’s deficits.

I’ve had some bad luck with injuries. I had 12 holes in right knee, many doctors said I should stop playing basketball. David has been able to put me back together. I’m not worried if I get hurt because I know I can come see him and get back to 100%.

Paul Davis

I would say working with David helps you to learn about your body, not only in sports but in life. How to make taking care of your body part of your daily routine. I feel a lot faster and stronger since coming here. My body feels more balanced.

Alshon Jeffrey

I’ve been playing basketball overseas for three years and this last summer was the first time I came to see David consistently. After doing my therapy and all of the exercises David gave me on a regular basis, I had the best season percentage wise that I have ever had.

Jerome Randle

Set an Appointment at React Vestibular Therapy

React Physical Therapy practices a whole body approach to physical therapy that addresses the cause, as well as the symptoms of pain, to balance the body and restore natural movement. Our physical therapists are trained in the Reavy Method, a proprietary method developed by founder David Reavy.